Dates are a healthy and versatile ingredient that is great for any diet. It could be used as flavoring or binding agent most especially in baking. Dates are naturally sweet and packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which are tremendously good for our immune systems. There are many ways to eat dates but in this blog post, we want to highlight the flavor of dates with honey and butter.
Compound butters are a great way to have butter. Butter alone is fantastic but when mixed with different flavors, we open a new portal of butter greatness!
In this recipe, we talk about how dates and honey go deliciously well with butter.
Table of Contents
What goes well with Date and Honey Butter?
Date and Honey Butter is a deliciously whipped and flavored compound butter that can be eaten with various dishes.
Dates taste very delicious with pork in any form. If you have roast pork, it’s nice to place a slice of date and honey butter on top of the warm slice of roast pork with baked potatoes. Date and honey butter is also nice to slather on a slice of sourdough bread with a slice of prosciutto di Parma on top. Date and honey butter go a long way with plenty of savory dishes!
Does Date and Honey Butter need to be refrigerated?
The process of making compound butter requires whipping the butter. When butter is whipped, it becomes a lot more airy and it’ll need to be at a certain temperature to hold its form before serving.
Date and honey butter must be stored in the chiller before serving or else the compound butter will turn into mush.
Is Date and Honey Butter healthy?
All three vital ingredients of this recipe are individually and respectably healthy. Dates are known to be packed with nutrients that give us energy and keep us healthy. Butter is a good kind of natural fat that is very delicious. Honey is also a good source of antioxidants. Together, these three make a delicious compound butter.
However, we stand by the saying that too much of something is bad.
Ingredients
- Medjool Dates. Medjool dates are the perfect kind of dates for this recipe because of their reputation of being the king of dates. It is often more meaty and intense in flavor. If you cannot find Medjool dates, any kind of dates is fine.
- Honey. We like using Manuka honey for this recipe because its flavors really stand out. Not only is it great because of its flavor but it is also one of the healthier options for honey. If you have simple honey, that’s also fine. Just make sure that the honey is fresh.
- Salted Butter. Salted butter is suggested in this recipe because date and honey butter is typically eaten with savory food. It’s nice to get that kick of salt with the butter most especially if it is being paired with something savory. The purpose is to introduce the salt to your palette. If you choose to use unsalted butter, that is okay too but consider adding a pinch of rock salt while whipping.
How to make Date and Honey Butter?
Bring water to a boil and pour over dates and let sit for 30 minutes. When the dates are soft, strain the water away and mince the dates. Set aside.
In a glass bowl or stand-up mixer bowl, whip butter for 3-5 minutes until it gets slightly fluffy. Add the dates while gently whipping then slowly and steadily add the honey into the butter mixture while whipping.
Whip until the butter is light in color. Place the butter into a glass butter container with a lid then chill. If you don’t have the glass butter container, put the whipped butter in an airtight container and then keep in the chiller for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the butter from the chiller and roll out parchment paper. Place the butter on the parchment paper and roll the butter into a log then chill for an hour, until serving. Before serving, simply slice a round piece of the log.
Equipment
- Handmixer
Ingredients
- 1 stick Salted butter
- 4 pieces Date
- 3 tsp Honey
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil and pour over dates to soften. Leave for 30 minutes and then strain the water.
- Mince the dates and set them aside.
- In a glass bowl or stand-up mixing bowl, whip butter with a hand mixer or the stand-up mixer until fluffy, around 5 minutes.
- Add the dates and continue whipping.
- Slowly and steadily add the honey while whipping until the butter gets fluffy and pale in color.
- Place whipped butter in a glass butter container and chill. If you don’t have the glass butter container, place the butter in an airtight container in the chiller for 5 minutes. Remove from the chiller after 5 minutes.
- Roll out parchment paper on the table and place the butter on the parchment then roll the butter into a log. Twist and seal the sides of the parchment paper. Chill for an hour before serving.
